Are your patients’ families prepared to prevent poisons? Share resources related to top poison concerns with families during National Poison Prevention Week, March 19-25.
About half of all human exposure cases managed by poison centers involve children younger than 6 years, according to the American Association for Poison Control Centers. Its recently released 2015 National Poison Data System report also found that as in past years, adolescents and adults experienced a greater number of severe outcomes. Read more at http://bit.ly/2kq0kYL.
Pediatricians also can share poison prevention information with families.
- The poison center hotline: 1-800-222-1222 and www.aapcc.org.
- Childproofing tips: a checklist is available on HealthyChildren.org, http://bit.ly/2kBa6cs. A separate checklist is available for grandparents, http://bit.ly/2jM2tff.
- The latest concerns about laundry detergent packets http://bit.ly/2kFbE5O and liquid nicotine poisoning http://www2.aap.org/richmondcenter/ENDS.html.
- To prevent poisoning from unused medication, look for prescription drug take-back events sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration in April. To find locations where medicines can be disposed of safely, visit http://bit.ly/2kzyERp after April 1.
